Cabinet having elevatable table top and racks



` .Oct. 28, 1947. o. A. M KELLARA 2,429,538

CABINET HAVING ELEVA-TABLEy TABLE TOP AND RACKS Oct. 28, 1947. o. A. MQKELLAF;l

CABINET HAVING ELEVATABLE TABLE TOP AND RACKS FledfJuly 9. 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 and 5d. Offset portions IIEX and IIcx are shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

Handles 3I are provided for sliding the selector rods II in and out of engagement with the lugs 8. These handles are round in cross section and are slidably mounted in bearings 30V which are screwed to the underside of the top III. Each handle is provided with a pin 32 extending transversely from one end and'engaging in a slot in a collar 33 which is pinned to the end of a rod II. Pin SIe projects from handle 3I into T-slot 311%L in bearing 30. When handle y3| is pushed in pin `t Ia slides in slot 3Iia to the inner end thereof. The operator may then turn the handle moving the pin 3|a into the cross head of slot 30a. To disengage the rack from the top a positive rotating movement of the handle as well as an outward pull is necessary, thus avoiding accidentally connecting or disconnecting the selec-v tor rods.

Piston rods I2, having piston heads I3, are rigidly fastened to the top I0, at each side thereof and substantially midway between its ends.

While any source of fluid pressure may be utilized for actuating the pistons, Figure 7 shows a motor operated air compressor I4, an inlet valve I5, a pressure relief Valve I6 and an eccentric valve selector or cam I'I. The shaft I8 whereon the valve selector or cam I I is rockably mounted may operate a power switch governing the compressor motor to turn the compressor on when inlet valve is opened and turn it off when pressure relief valve is opened. As shown in dotted lines in Figure l, a lower lever I9 is xed to the cam shaft IS. Lever 2E is secured to a spindle 2S journalled in the walls of the cabinet I and projecting to the exterior. A link 2) is pivotally attached by its ends to the lower and upper levers IS and 2|, and the handle 22 is rigidly fastened to the spindle 23.

To elevate the top I0, the handle 22 is pivoted in one direction, whereby the linkage formed by the members I8, I9, 2li, 2| rocks the cam I'I to clos-e the power connection tothe compressor Ill, to open thevalve I5, thus admitting air under pressure to the cylinders 9. To lower the top IIJ the handle 22 is pivoted in the alternate direction, the cam II .thus opening the power switch and opening the relief valve I6 and permitting the inlet valve I5 to close. The weight of the said top ISB through the medium of the pistons forces the air out of the cylinders 9, and at a regulable rate through the valve I5.

The cabinet I is provided with a fully insulated bottom 24 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 1) beneath which the refrigerating mechanism and the compressor for the lifting mechanism are concealed, access being had thereto through a door 25 (Figure 1), in the lower portion of a wall. The cooling or evaporating coils are then placed in immediate Contact with the interior set of the dual walls.

Amongst the numerous points of superiority are some it is particularly desired to stress. The positioning of the lifting cylinders, for example, is determined by a system of what might be called triangulation Placed as shown and described, jamming of the elevating apparatus because of disproportional weight distribution is avoided, since the load in any one rack of the cabinet is substantially equally divided between 'at least three of the elevators. The fourth elevator acts as a counterbalance for lifting the top. If the lifting cylinders were located at the corners IXO in many cases most of the load would be carried by one piston causing unbalance and jamming.

In further explanation of this theory of triangulation it is pointedout that no matter which rack is lifted, the weight is supported by the top at a point within a triangle of which three of the elevators from the corners. It should also be noted that the point at which the larger racks, 5c and 5d, are lifted is nearer the centre of the triangle so formed than the point at which the smaller racks, 5J and 5b are lifted. The point at which basket 5 is lifted is quite near the centre l of a triangle formed by lines running between elevators 9 at one end and two sides of the refrigerator.

Furthermore, when it becomes necessary to clean or load a rack it may be raised from the interior confines of the cabinet, detached from its associated selector rod, and the lid of the cabinet closed until the said rack is ready for replacement. Moreover, when one of the racks is raised the insulators covering the remainder form a comparatively eficient heat seal over the unevacuated space.

The cabinet hereinbefore described is, of course, not restricted solely to domestic food storage. It may be adapted and used with equal eiciency for quick freezing, for dehydration, or in fact for any purpose wherein a top-opening cabinet is recommended.

The invention thus having been fully described, it will be apparent that it permits of many altera-tions and modifications without departure from the spirit thereof, the scope of the protection contemplated will therefore appear from the 'following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically 'movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, the said racks having tops formed of heat insulating material normally closing the top of the compartment, a top closure member for said cabinet, means for liftingsaid top closure member, and means mounted on said top closure member for selectively engaging said racks to lift them above the top of the cabinet to provide access to said racks,

2; In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, a lug projecting from each rack, selector rods, each selectively operable to engage one of the lugs, and means for simultaneously lifting all said selector rods to lift the racks with which they are in engagement, Without lifting those racks not engaged by selector rods.

3. In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, a lug projecting from each rack, selector rods, each selectively operable to engage one of the lugs, a top closure member for said cabinet on which the selector rods are mounted, and means for lifting the said top closure member to lift the selector rods and the racks with which they are connected.

4. In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, a top closure member for said cabinet, means for lifting said top closure member, and means mounted on said top closure member for selectively engaging said racks to lift them above the top of the cabinet to provide access to said racks.

5. In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, lifting means comprising a projecting lug provided on each of the racks, a top closure member, bearings on the underside of the closure member, selector rods, each slidably journalled in one of the said bearings and adapted to engage one of the said lugs, and means for lifting the said top closure member.

6. In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, lifting means comprising a projecting lug provided on each of the racks, a top closure member, bearings on the underside of the top closure member, selector rods slidably journalled in the said bearings, the interior ends of the said selector rods being each disposed adjacent to one of the lugs and adapted to engagement or disengagement therewith, and the exterior ends of said rods extending beyond the sides of the cabinet below the said top closure member for manipulation, and means for lifting the said top closure member.

7. In a cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks disposed in said compartment, lifting means cornprising a projecting lug provided on each of the racks, a top closure member, bearings on the underside of the top closure member, selector rods slidably journalled in the said bearings, the interior ends of the said selector rods being each disposed adjacent to one of the lugs and adapted to engagement or disengagement therewith, and

the exterior ends of saidrods extending beyond the sides of the cabinet below the said top closure member for manipulation, means for lifting the said top closure member, and handles for the selector rods engageable with and disengageable therefrom.

8. In a, cabinet having sides and a bottom forming an open-topped storage compartment therein, a rectangular top closure member, a plurality of vertically movable storage racks in the storage compartment, means for selectively connecting and disconnecting the storage racks to the top closure member, and means for elevating and lowering the top closure member, said means comprising pistons secured to and depending from the top closure member substantially midway between the ends of each side of said member, cylinders in which said pistons are reciprocably mounted, secured to said cabinet, means for sup plying uid under pressure to the cylinders, and valve means controlling the admission of the fluid to the cylinders to raise and lower the top closure member,

ORMOND A. MCKELLAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

